Younger Naruto was more unloved than we think (and this moment in the Chunin exam proved it)

The story of Naruto as a protagonist is not unique among anime. For one, it is a common trope among anime, and can be seen in series like Black Clover and Solo Leveling. These stories have the main characters start at rock bottom, before attaining god-like status. However, with Naruto, there is this tiny detail that makes it different from other Shonen anime. That tiny detail is the underlying bigotry of Konoha’s society.

The bigotry that viewers see Naruto go through sets the tone for the larger versions they see throughout the series. The reason that the villagers fear Naruto is the Kyubi, and that fear is irrational, because they should be grateful to him for their lives, as he is the reason why Konoha is not in ruins. However, bigotry is irrational, and Kishimoto does not spare any chance in showing viewers that. Some characters in Naruto are portrayed as separate from Konoha’s bigotry, but from how things look, they treat the Uzumaki with love.

Despite the love that is shown to Naruto by some of his peers like Choji, Shikamaru, and to an extent, Kiba, in any moment of danger, the Jinchūriki was disposable. During the Chunin exam, an unconscious Naruto was of no consequence to his friends Choji and Shikamaru. These two ninjas stood at the side and would have left the Uzumaki for misfortune; it took the intervention of Ino for them to change their minds.

Disclaimer: This article reflects the author’s views and may contain spoilers.

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How the Chunin exam was proof that a younger Naruto was unloved

Shikamaru and Choji in the Forest of Darkness (Image via Shueisha)

The root of the Uzumaki being disliked lay in him being a Jinchūriki. Villagers feared that the Uzumaki would harm them if they came close. What started as fear eventually morphed into hate, and the thing about hate is that it spreads. That hate is passed onto the children of the villagers, and some of those children became ninjas.

These children would ostracize the Uzumaki, and in a bid to please them, the Uzumaki would act goofy. This was counterintuitive, as each action he did felt like a distraction or an annoyance. The Nine-Tailed Jinchūriki couldn’t get the adoration of his peers, and to them, he was just an annoying pest that they could do without.

Shikamaru totally disregarded his father's advice (Image via Studio Pierrot)

While the Uzumaki had friends in Iruka, Shikamaru, and Choji, these friendships came with a caveat. The beginning of these relationships started with negative feelings from the other party. Iruka hated the Uzumaki and subconsciously blamed him for the death of his parents at the hands of the Nine Tails; Shikamaru and Choji never considered Naruto to be their true friend. This is why their first instinct on seeing the Uzumaki in distress is to abandon him.

Their leaving the Uzumaki is proof of Konoha’s bigotry seeping into their very actions. Many fans might consider their actions selfish, as they had an exam to worry about, but an intervention might have helped them accomplish their tasks easily. If Choji and Shikamaru actively came out to help, they would have overwhelmed the opponents with sheer numbers and helped Sakura.

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Conclusions

This was a masterstroke by Masashi Kishimoto, as he used subtle actions to tie into the larger themes of the story. Leaf Shinobi are guided by the will of fire, but early on in the series, various ninja overlook that and focus solely on their biases. This beats the purpose of the Hidden Villages, and Kishimoto uses these moments to show the hypocrisy of the ninja.

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